


Moving On?

by st_mick



Series: He is the Sun... [4]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Baby Weevils bite, But he does mean well, Gwen is kind, In fairness - all Weevils bite, It's just fun to say apoplectic, Jack & Rory sexytimes, Jack needs to remember Rory, M/M, Multi, Old flames warm the soul, Rory is a bad ass, Rory needs a father/daughter moment with River, the doctor is an idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 03:07:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15500964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/st_mick/pseuds/st_mick
Summary: Haunted by the idea that Jack is suffering for his actions with the 456 two years before, Rory travels to Cardiff to visit his old friend.  After sniffing out the new Torchwood, he is saddened to find that Jack has buried all memory of him.  But Rory is nothing if not persistent, and he is able to convince Jack to remember his past.  A Weevil attack and visit to Stormcage later, and it’s just like old times, except Rory is flesh and blood rather than damaged plastic.  Back in Leadworth, as Rory ponders Jack’s offer, the Doctor and Amy return, inadvertently causing more damage.





	1. Finding Jack

**Author's Note:**

> Part 4 in the series. Picks up where Broken Trust leaves off. Thanks for reading!

The Doctor had only been gone for two days when Rory began feeling restless.  He was surprised to discover that the source of his ruminations was not, as he would have expected, Amy.  Nor any version of the Doctor, whom he was studiously avoiding, in his thoughts.

It was Jack.

He wasn’t sure how he knew, but Rory was certain that Jack was back on Earth, by now.  He rather imagined his friend had been in the thick of things during the recent crisis his father told him about.  He gave a shudder.  The government, incinerating people alive.  It was abhorrent.  His father had been terrified of anyone thinking Rory was seriously ill, such was the lingering fear mere months after the situation had resolved itself and people began dying again.

As his restlessness grew, so did his certainty.  He knew he was likely being very foolish, but the idea would not turn him loose.  So that evening, he told his father that he was going to take a little weekend holiday. 

Brian eyed him skeptically.  “And what has brought this on?” he asked.

Rory shrugged.  “Since the Doctor sorted my dehydration, I’m feeling a lot better.  I’m eating three meals a day, or trying to.  My energy is good, and my strength is improving.  I’m even sleeping like a normal human being.”  Rory snapped his mouth shut.  He swallowed and cleared his throat as Brian patted his hand.  “Sorry.  That just hits me wrong, every now and again.”

“It’s all right, Son,” Brian smiled.

“Is it?” Rory looked at his father.  “You’ve been so wonderful through all of this, and I am so grateful for everything you’ve done for me.  But… you haven’t really said much.  How do you feel about all of this?”

Brian sat back and studied his son’s face.  “I’d be lying if I tried to say this wasn’t an odd situation, but…” he reached out and took Rory’s hand.  “I am grateful that you are still here, Rory.  The thought of losing you in a year’s time…”  Now Brian was clearing his throat.  “I’ll take two hearts, beating in your chest, over losing you.  And besides,” he gave Rory’s hand a squeeze before releasing it, “you are still my son.  You are still my kind, loving, loyal Rory.  As long as that doesn’t change, I don’t care if you turn blue and grow extra arms.”

Rory laughed, but found he had to dry his eyes.  “Thanks, Dad.”

“So tell me about this trip.  Would you like some company?”

“It’s just Cardiff.  And I think it might be a good idea for me to get used to being on my own.”

“What’s in Cardiff?”

“An old friend.  Maybe.”

Brian eyed him again.  “Support group for abandoned companions?”

Rory snorted.  “Wouldn’t be a bad idea, I reckon.  But no.  I don’t even know if he’s there.  But I heard he had some trouble couple of years ago, and I wanted to check in on him.”

“Fair enough.  You sure you’re feeling up to it?”

Rory nodded.  “I feel well enough that I need to get out of the house.”

“Have you thought about returning to work?”

Another nod.  “Maybe the week after next.  Probably part-time, to start.  Until I have some stamina back.”

“I’m glad, Son.”

“It’s time.”  Rory pushed his food around his plate.  He hadn’t allowed himself to think about Theta’s farewell on Tuesday.  That it was likely the last time he would see the Doctor, in any form.  Rory resolutely turned away from the spark of hope that the Doctor’s assurances of his love had ignited. 

Holding out hope would only make it more difficult to move on.

***

Rory rose early on Friday morning.  Brian walked to the bus stop with him and handed him a packed lunch.  He hugged his father before climbing aboard.  In Gloucester he boarded a train to Cardiff, and within hours he arrived and found another bus that took him to the city center.  He looked around, trying to get his bearings.  It had been the mid-1990’s, and in another timeline, the last time he had been in Cardiff.

Everything had been newly built.  He heard a group of American tourists on a guided tour being told about the terrorist attack in 2009.  The tour guide explained that the explosion was unrelated to the alien event affecting the planet’s children, though it had happened at the same time.  Rory looked around and realized that it had to have been Torchwood Three that had been bombed.

He began making slow circles around the area, knowing that if Torchwood had been rebuilt, it would be close by, to monitor the rift.  He found himself stopping to rest at annoyingly short intervals, digging into the Doctor’s messenger bag for water, each time.  Shortly after noon, he ate part of the lunch his father had packed for him. 

He continued his search, widening his path.  He kept catching whiffs of something familiar, but couldn’t find anything more than a trace at a time.  It was mid-afternoon when he came upon a small square that was absolutely _saturated_ with the scent of the time vortex.  He could practically taste it.  He was now certain that Jack was here.

He made a lazy circuit of the square, spotting sensors and cameras.  He touched each place he found a sensor, knowing that doing so would attract attention.  He was near what he assumed was the entrance to the place, turning a slow circle, trying to spot what he was looking for.  He was facing the square when he felt a prickling on the back of his neck. 

Turning, he spotted a security camera pointed directly at him.  He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face.  Winking at the camera, he said, “I’m here to see Jack.”

Within seconds, a solidly built man appeared, his hand resting on the gun that was in the holster at his side.

“Ah.  A perception filter,” Rory smiled.  “Thought maybe Dad’s sandwich wasn’t sitting well.”  He stepped back and looked, allowing his eyes to go out of focus so he could see the edges.  “Nice.”

“Step this way, please,” the man said, his voice curt.  American.

“Does Torchwood only take Americans, now?” Rory asked conversationally as he followed the man’s outstretched arm.  He didn’t love having the man and his gun at his back, but he took comfort that the gun was not drawn.

He was led to an elevator, and then shuffled into a small, plush conference room.  Jack was sitting at the head of the table, a serious looking brunette with kind eyes, to his right.  The equally serious man pointed to a chair opposite Jack and took the seat to Jack’s left.

Rory set the messenger bag on the table and sat.  “Hey, Jack,” his smile faded at the stony look on Jack’s face.  “You don’t remember me.”  He sat back and ran his hand through his hair and sighed, “Again.”  He looked hard at Jack.  “Did he make you forget?” 

Rory stood, causing Jack’s companions to push back from the table, slightly.  “No, he’d not do that.  Which means _you_ buried me.”  He turned back to Jack.  “Why would you do that?”  He stared a moment more.  Jack still hadn’t said a word, his face closed and inscrutable.  Then realization dawned.  “Aw, Jack.  Damnit.”  He sighed and sat again, slumping.

“Are you all right?” the woman asked.  The man gave her an exasperated look.  “Oh, please.  Look at him.  He’s been ill.  Might be, still.”  She got up and left the room.

Jack continued to stare.  Rory sat back, smirking.  He could endure awkward silences for _centuries_.

Jack’s companion was the first to crack.  “How did you find this place?”

Rory continued to look at Jack, enjoying the view.  “Technically, I didn’t.  I just wandered around until you showed yourself.”  Rory caught the flash of amusement in Jack’s eyes before it got buried.  He smiled.  It was amazing what one was willing to endure, given the most miniscule spark of hope.

The woman came back with a tray with four mugs of tea.  She set down three mugs at her end of the table and brought the fourth, with milk and sugar, to Rory.  “Diod i fyny, cariad.”[1]

“Diolch,” Rory replied, without thinking.[2]

“Welsh?” she smiled.

Rory shook his head.  “Sadly, no.  But I lived here for f… some years.”  He smiled at her.  “You pick things up, after a while.”

She frowned.  Welsh was not something people normally just picked up.  “I’m Gwen Cooper.  That’s Rex Matheson.  And you seem to know Jack.”

“Rory Williams,” Rory said, staring at Jack.

“No hits on facial recognition,” Rex said, glancing at his tablet.

Rory sat back, once more.  As long as they were being friendly, he had no plans to speak until Jack did.  The others seemed to sense this.  They both looked to Jack, who finally unfolded his arms and leaned forward.  “How do you claim to know me?”

Rory’s lips twitched.  “Do you happen to remember how you found out the Doctor wasn’t asexual?”

“Trial and error,” Jack fired back.  Then he blinked and frowned.

“Ouch,” Rory snickered.  “Oh well, it was worth a try.” 

“You know the Doctor?” Jack seemed to regret asking the question as soon as it left his mouth.

Rory glanced at Gwen, who was staring openly.  Rex seemed bored.  “C’mon, man.  We get crazies every other week claiming to know this Doctor dude.  It’s like he’s a leprechaun or unicorn, or bigfoot, with all the ‘sightings’.”  He even used air quotes.

Rory and Jack both laughed at the characterization.  As their eyes met, Rory felt a familiar spark, low in his belly.  By the look in his eye, Jack felt it, too.  He looked away, quickly.

Rory smiled.  “Yeah, I knew him.”

Jack’s eyes narrowed.  “Knew?”

“Traveled with him for a while, yeah.”  Rory forced himself to breathe around the knot in his belly.  Past tense.  Sucked.

“So why are you here?”

“I think you can tell we were friends, once upon a time.”

“Sounds like a fairy story,” Rex muttered.  Jack sent him a cross look.

Rory ignored the bait.  “Nice try, but Jack wouldn’t work with a homophobe.”  He grinned.  “Or rather, a homophobe wouldn’t be able to tolerate working with Jack.”

Gwen snorted.

“So tell me a story, then” Jack said, realizing that Rory wasn’t going to say a word until asked.

“Only if you let yourself remember,” Rory said.  “Otherwise I’ll just be on my way.”

“I usually choose to forget things for a reason.”

“Yeah, like to punish yourself,” Rory said, holding Jack in his gaze.  Jack looked away, first.  “There’s nothing that’ll pain you to remember.”  He somehow knew that he and Jack were both in the same spot on their timelines – that Jack had not seen Rory’s future.

“Fine,” Jack said, sounding harsh.

***

 

[1] Drink up, Love

[2] Thank you


	2. Please Remember

Rory smiled.  “Okay.  I traveled with the Doctor, after you did.”

“Which one?”

Rory glanced at Gwen and Rex again.

“Don’t worry.  I’ve been protecting him from inside Torchwood for a long time.  They’re on board.”

“No UNIT interference?”

Jack gave an icy smile.  “Not in this room.”

Rory chuckled.  “Fine.  Bowtie.”

Jack chuckled.  “I haven’t met him, yet.”  He eyed Rory.  “You’ve met others, though.”

“I call them ’the Ears’ and ‘the Hair’.”

Jack laughed again.  “They were both my Doctor.”

“I know.”

The smile slid from Jack’s face.  “So talk.”

“Stop interrupting, and I will.”  This time Rex coughed to hide a chuckle.  Gwen was smiling openly.  “I died about six months in.”

“I feel you,” Jack said.

Rory laughed.  “An Alliance had been formed against the Doctor.  They thought he was going to end the universe.  Turns out it was the TARDIS exploding that did it, but they blamed him.”

“Wait.  The TARDIS exploded?”  Jack leaned forward, concerned.

Rory nodded.  “It was the Silence that did it.  Do you know of them?”

Jack nodded, and saw the flash of anger in Rory’s eyes.

Rory shook his head.  “So the Alliance.  Daleks, Cybermen, Jadoon, the potato ones,” he paused as Jack laughed.  “And a dozen others, besides.  The Nestene Consciousness,” he shivered.  “They found a… counterpart of me in a parallel universe, a Roman soldier.  He fell in battle, and they captured his consciousness, his memories.  They did the same to me, when I died.  Then they used both to build an Auton Roman soldier.”  The three were riveted as Rory told them about the Pandorica, in Roman Britain.

“So you’re telling me that the Doctor was the ‘Imp of the Pandorica’.”

“Don’t even tell me you’re surprised,” Rory said dryly.

“Proceed,” Jack said with a chuckle.

Rory explained about disconnecting from the Nestene Consciousness, just as the universe ended.  “We put Amy in the Pandorica and the Doctor took River’s vortex manipulator…”

“River Song?” Jack’s eyes sparked.  “My, my, my.  She is so _very_...”

“My daughter,” Rory interrupted.  “Please.  For the love of God, I don’t want to know.”  He rubbed his temples. 

Jack cleared his throat.  “Brilliant, I was saying.  She’s a brilliant archaeologist.”  He eyed Rory, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face.  “How is she your daughter?”

“Timey wimey,” Rory muttered.  “About eight months ago, the Silence took our baby and then raised her to assassinate the Doctor.  Being River, she naturally had other thoughts on the topic.”

Jack stopped grinning.  “I’m sorry.”

“So you traveled to…” Rex prompted, earning a kick under the table from Gwen.

“The Doctor traveled directly to 1996.  I took the slow path.”

“The slow path,” Gwen said, then her eyes widened.  “You guarded the Pandorica for all those years?”  She frowned.  “How many years?”

“One thousand, eight hundred and ninety-four,” Rory said.

“How?” Rex asked.

“Plastic,” Rory answered.

“Wait.  I remember a legend,” Gwen said, frowning.  “The Last Centurion.”

Rory’s eyebrows shot up.  “That story exists in this timeline?”

“What do you mean, ‘this timeline’?” Rex asked.

“Well, there are stars in the sky, now.  Meaning the universe didn’t end.  Not this one, anyway,” Rory pointed out.  “In 1996, Amy’s eight year-old self touched the Pandorica, giving it the DNA it needed to revive her.  Within the half hour, the Doctor flew the thing into the exploding TARDIS and rebooted the universe.  He called it Big Bang Two.”  Rory chuckled.  “Idiot.”

“So… this is… what?  The universe, 2.0?” Rex said.

“Oh, these stories always give me a headache,” Gwen grumbled.

“You’re the Last Centurion?” Jack asked.  “ _You_?”

“Oi!” Rory chuckled.  He reached into the messenger bag and pulled out his sword, careful to take it by the scabbard rather than the handle, in case the story had made Rex even more twitchy.  He slid it across the table.

“No way!” Gwen looked thrilled.

“Could be a knock-off,” Jack said.  “Certainly not the one you carried, if the universe got rebooted.”

“The Doctor took me back to Rome to get it, after the dust settled.  Not the one I carried in the other timeline, no.  But made by the same bladesmith.”

“So was it in that timeline that you lived in Cardiff?” Gwen asked.

“Torchwood offered to keep her safe, after the blitz,” Rory answered.  “I was here from 1945 until the museum decided to do an exhibition, in 1995.”

“Torchwood allowed that?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

“The universe was shrinking.  Torchwood blinked out of existence in 1994.  I managed to repurpose the warehouse as a holding of the museum.  Made them think they’d lost track of it, after the war.”

Gwen looked from Rory to Jack.  “So after the blitz.  Is that when you met Jack?”

Rory shook his head.  “No, they sent him to London in 1902 to neutralize the Centurion and secure the box.”

Rex raised an eyebrow.  Gwen looked at Jack, who was still staring at Rory.  “And?” she asked.

Rory shrugged.  “He did his best, but he was still a youngster,” he said generously.  Rex snickered.

“And you were like a cat, toying with its food,” Jack said quietly.

Rory grinned.  “Decades of boredom, punctuated by the occasional fight.  Can you blame me for trying to enjoy it, just a bit?  You will remember I did try to avoid a fight.”

“I shouldn’t have tried to touch it.”

“Famous last words,” Rex muttered.

“The Pandorica, you idiot,” Jack snarked.

“Yeah.  Sorry about that,” Rory said, looking regretful.

“What?” Gwen asked.

“He killed me.” Jack grinned.

“You look far too happy about that,” Rex said, relaxing now that Jack seemed to be remembering Rory.

“Only because he still feels guilty for it.” Jack grinned.

“I was trying to figure out how to make it look like an accident when he revived,” Rory chuckled.

“Didn’t take us long to figure out we had a friend in common.  I found a museum warehouse where the Pandorica could be stored, in London.  There it stayed until the blitz.”

“What happened then?”

“The warehouse was hit.  I got the Pandorica out, but was… damaged.”

“Plastic tends to melt,” Jack elaborated.

“Did it hurt?” Gwen asked, her eyes wide.

“Only my pride,” Rory grinned.  He glanced at Jack, who was staring at him, remembering Rory's anguish over losing so much of his appearance of humanity.  “The Doctor wasn’t sure you’d remember the alternate timeline, but he said you might.”

“A sky without stars,” Jack shuddered.  “It was awful.  More so because no one besides Rory even remembered them.”  He frowned.  “I remember new year’s 1963, and then it gets fuzzy.”

“Yeah.”  Rory looked away.  “One minute you were there, the next you’d never existed.”  He spoke in an offhand manner, but raw, unvarnished trauma was etched into his face.  He cleared his throat and his expression cleared.  “I figured the collapse of the universe had started to accelerate, at that point.  The Boeshane Peninsula likely blinked out, at that point.”

“But you got your girl out of the box, in the end,” Jack said, forcing the cheerful tone and trying to forget the pain he just saw on his friend’s face.

“Yeah,” Rory stood up and faced the window looking out onto an open workspace.  “The universe got rebooted, and I was human again.  Amy and I got married.  Stayed with himself.  Amy got kidnapped and replaced by a Flesh avatar.  I missed her pregnancy and Melody’s birth and only held a Flesh avatar version of my child before it melted. 

“Melody regenerated into Mels, who was Amy’s and my best friend, growing up, so everyone – including Amy and River – thinks that means we got to raise our child, after all.”  Rory was babbling, and he knew it.  “It _so_ doesn’t,” he whispered.  “Then our childhood best friend got shot – by Adolf Hitler, thank you very much – and regenerated into River.”  He gave himself a shake and sat back down.  “I suppose you think I’m an idiot to be upset, because River is alive and fantastic and amazing.”

Jack sighed.  “You’re not an idiot.  But River is pretty amazing.  You still have her.”

“What has to be done to an enhanced child, to make her need to regenerate before she reaches the age of ten?”  Rory shook his head.  “You are right.   River Song is an extraordinary woman.  And a stranger to me.”

Gwen wiped away a tear.  Even Rex had to look away.  Jack continued his open scrutiny of Rory, looking sad and concerned.  “And how long since we landed in your backyard?”

Rory looked at Jack.  “You remember that now, do you?”

“It was my oldest memory of you.  Took a while to dig it up.”

“Coming up on three weeks, now.”

“Wait.  What?” Rex frowned.

“We met out of order.  The first time Rory met me was in 1902, and I didn’t let him know I’d met him before.  The first time I met him was three weeks ago for him, but a long time ago now, for me.  He told me we’d be friends.”  Jack smiled.  “And he was right.”

“Is that why you buried me?” Rory asked, angry now that Jack remembered.

“You were right about that, too.”  He stared at Rory, for a moment.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t stop to consider that you needed a friend, too.”

Rory shook his head.  “It’s fine.  Whatever.  I didn’t come here because I’m pathetic.”

“So you’re saying you came here because _I’m_ pathetic?” Jack asked, his lips twitching.

“Pretty much.”  Rory offered a conciliatory smile.  “If it helps, I didn’t remember you properly, either.  Not until that bloody vaccine.”

“Why did the Doctor give you an alien vaccine?”

“It was the only way to bring the fever down.  I’d topped out at one hundred and eight and still rising at a degree every few minutes.”

Jack whistled.  “And what did the vaccine do?”

“Dilated the hippocampus.”

“So you remembered…”

“All of the years, all of the memories.  All at once.”

“How did you not stroke?”

“The Doctor was liberal with the sedatives, and then he… helped organize the memories.”  Rory felt his chest constrict at the memory of the time the Doctor spent with him, the love and care he had felt, for and from him.  “Took a week.”

“And once you recovered from that, the other thing happened?”

“Pretty much.”

“What other thing?” Gwen asked.

“Died again.  Got revived.  Got new innards.  Got severe neuropathy.  Got dumped back in Leadworth to ‘recuperate’.”  Now he was using air quotes.  Jesus.

“You have had a shit year, Son,” Rex shook his head.

“But the stone worked, right?” Jack was peering intently at Rory.

“Yeah.  Worked great.”

“Then why do you still look like hell?”

“Dehydration, no appetite.  ‘The Hair’ showed up this past weekend and did an IV, which seemed to take care of most of my issues.  Eating more than one meal a day, now.”

“Good.  You look like you’ll break if I touch you.”

“That an offer?”

“That an invitation?”

“Oh, Christ.  I have work to do,” Rex said, rising.

_MUST SAVE THE NEST_

The hair on the back of Rory’s neck began to rise.  “What was that?” he asked, looking around.  Without thinking, he rose from the table and reached for his sword.

***


	3. Saving Weevils?

_ATTACK_

_MUST SAVE THE NEST_

_MUST PROTECT THE YOUNG_

“Rory?  What’s wrong?” Jack was by Rory’s side.

Rory was holding his head.  “Don’t you hear that?”  He gasped in pain at the screaming in his head, but then he saw a swarm of aliens enter the workspace outside the window.  One of them mauled a young woman in a lab coat.

“Weevils!” Rex shouted, pulling his gun.  Gwen was on her feet with her gun, as well.

Rory drew his sword and flung open the door.  “I count seven,” he said, taking in the situation.  “Is deadly force authorized?” he asked.

“Shit!  Yes!” Jack shouted, drawing his gun.

The bullets seemed to have little effect, though they did slow the things down.  Rory found it easiest just to behead them.  He took two down before he realized they were moving in formation.  “Jack – they’re trying to flank you!”

Rory jumped over one of the railings and took the head off of one that was advancing on Gwen as she tried to reload her weapon.  Two each went for Jack and Rex.  Rex put a bullet in the eye of one as the other mauled him.  Gwen was able to dispatch that one as it raised its head from the fatal bite it had delivered to Rex’s neck.

Rory raced across to where the other two had cornered Jack.  Jack managed to shoot one in the face, and it fell to the ground, keening.  The other mauled him before he could shoot it.  Rory took its head off with a string of Latin curses that would have made his training officer blush.

The wounded Weevil was writhing on the ground.  Rory moved to it, trying to see what he could do.  Gwen came up and pointed the gun at its head, but Rory pushed between the gun and the Weevil.  “Let me see what I can find out.  They’re telepathic.  And they were screaming.  Something…  I think something forced them to do this.  You may want to lock down the facility and see to the wounded, and see if these attacks are going on, above ground.”

Gwen stared at him a moment before grabbing another agent and putting Rory’s words to action.

“Shh,” Rory soothed the creature.

_Must protect the young._

“Is someone threatening your young, your nest?”

_Bombs in nest.  Bombs will kill the young if we do not attack._

“Who put bombs in your nest?”

_Bad man._

“Can you show me?”

An image came to Rory’s mind. 

“Is there a way to tell the others that we want to help, but we cannot if they attack us?”

Rory received another image, or message, or knowing.  It wasn’t terribly articulate, but he understood.  The Weevil gave a gasp and died.

Rory went to Rex.  One look told him he was gone.  He went to Jack and pulled him into his lap.  Gwen sat down by Rex and took his hand.

“I’m sorry about your friend,” Rory said.

Gwen smiled.  “Well, maybe there’s something you should know.”

Before she could say more, Jack gasped back to life and Rory held him steady.  “I’ve got you,” he whispered.  “You’re all right.”  He kissed Jack’s temple and soothed him back to the world.  Rory tasted the vortex in the air.  He looked around and saw a soft, golden shimmer around Jack, and a more subtle one around Rex.  “Jack… what have you done?” he asked as he watched Rex take a great, gasping breath.

Jack explained about the transfusions.

“You need to make him be very careful,” Rory said.  “The vortex energy isn’t as strong, around him.”

“What do you mean?” Jack was reluctant to move, just yet.

“It means I don’t think he’s quite as immortal as you are.”

“How do you know that?”

“I can sense the vortex energy.  I was able to actually see it, just now.  It’s how I found you,” he smiled.  “That and those fifty-first century pheromones.”

Jack chuckled.

“Jack, I locked down the facility, and the injured are being treated.  We have two dead, but the others will survive.  There don’t seem to have been any attacks, above ground.”

“Were you able to incapacitate the Weevils that got in here?”

“They’ve been neutralized.”

“How?  You were the only one with a gun,” Rex sat up.

“Yeah, and I only shot one of them.  And each of you shot one.”

“I thought there were seven,” Rex said, looking around.  Then he saw a couple of agents putting a headless Weevil in a body bag.  “Are you telling me that the anorexic Centurion bagged four Weevils?”

“Oi!” Rory exclaimed.

“You all right?” Jack asked, sitting up.

“Better than you.”

“That’s it.  Swords for everyone!” Rex sat up.  He looked at Rory and reached out to shake his hand.  “Thanks for the assist.”

“Do we know what caused the swarming behavior?” Jack asked, standing and moving towards one of the computer stations.

“They were being manipulated,” Rory said.

“What?” Jack jerked around.  “What are you talking about?”

“They’re vaguely telepathic.  That’s how I heard them coming.  It was like they were screaming in my head.  They were terrified, Jack.”

“Well, let’s show them what real terror is,” Rex grumbled.

“Do you want my help, or do you want to go into this blind _and_ stupid?” Rory’s temper flared.

“Rory the Roman!  What’ve you got for us?” Jack chuckled. 

The next moment, Rory had him by the shirt collar.  “Do  _not_ call me that.  _Ever_.” 

The expression on Rory’s face took Jack’s breath away.  “I apologize, Rory.  It won’t happen again.”

Rory let Jack go and stood back, wiping his hands down the front of his shirt absently.  So much of Jack’s blood…  He shook his head, to clear it.  Then he grabbed his sword and took off his sweatshirt, sat down, and began cleaning the blade.  Something to steady his hands.

Jack understood what he was seeing.  “Want some water?”

Rory nodded.  As he cleaned the sword, he began speaking.  “Someone has planted bombs in their nest.  Seems to be holding their young hostage.  Helped them to organize, somehow.  They had a plan of attack when they came in here.  I’m assuming that’s new behavior.”

Jack nodded.  “Why?”

“They were meant to carry you off, Jack.  That one, before it died, showed me the man who was holding their nest captive.”

“What did he look like?” Rex asked.

“Impossibly square jaw.  All cheekbones and crazy eyes.”

“Hart,” Gwen and Jack said in unison.

Gwen began typing on a nearby keyboard and pulled up an image.

“Yep,” Rory confirmed.  “Wait.  John Hart?”

“Yeah,” Jack said.  “He seemed okay, the last time we parted.”

“Wow,” Rory said, eyebrows raised but looking down at his sword.

“Don’t start.”

“Wasn’t going to,” Rory said.  He continued to work on the sword, keeping quiet, though he was clearly broadcasting his opinion.

“So what’s the next move?” Gwen asked, amused.

“No idea,” Jack said.

Rory stood.  “Show me how to get to the sewers.  I’ll find the bombs, and you work on finding Hart.”

“Can’t ask you to do that.  You’re not Torchwood.”

“You’re not asking.  I’m telling.  I’m the only one they’re going to let near the nest.  That one told me what to do.  You and Rex have too much vortex energy shifting around you, so they’re afraid of you.  But they respect the resurrected.”

“They did like Owen an awful lot,” Gwen mused.

“Rory, that’s a huge gamble, to approach a nest of Weevils,” Jack looked uncomfortable.

Rory was attaching his scabbard to his belt.  “Got a better plan?”  He looked at Jack.  “Do you have a camera and headset, or something?  Someone’s going to have to help me disarm the things, once I find them.”

“I can help with that,” Gwen said. 

Once Rory had a headset, he, Jack and Rex set out for the sewers.  Jack took them out of a utility tunnel that wasn’t on any of the plans.  “He’s not going to know about this entrance,” he said.

They made their way along, slowly.  Soon they heard someone pacing and raving.  They came to a juncture of several tunnels.  Rory split off and made his way around the far side, to where the nest was.  Several Weevils approached, but he stared them down, feeling both hearts beating madly.  He kept going towards the nest, doing his best to communicate with the creatures.

_Show me the bombs.  I will take them away._

The Weevils hissed and growled, but they were not making any more noise than normal.  Rory found the first bomb, and Gwen talked him through disarming it.  He hooked it to his belt and moved on to the next, and then the next.  The last one was within sight of Hart, who was still pacing, muttering.

“Hey, John.  Long time, no see,” Jack strode out. 

Rory cursed and moved to the next bomb, quickly disarming it.

“Was that Latin?” Gwen asked, sounding amused.

 _Are there any more bombs in your nest?_ Rory asked.  The Weevils all ebbed and flowed around the center of the nest, hissing and growling.  Jack kept Hart talking, distracting him as Rory stepped towards the center of the nest. 

The Weevils were not stopping him, but they were growing more aggressive as he approached what was clearly the nursery.  He held his hands up in what he hoped was a non-threatening manner and then reached slowly for the bomb, only to have one of the baby Weevils bite into his chest.  He did the only thing he thought might not get him killed.

He bit it back.

***

“What the hell are you doing, John?” Jack asked.  “Swarming Weevils?  What’s the end game, here?”

“I got into some difficulties with some Blowfish in London.”

“Owe them money?”

“And I needed a vortex manipulator to get out of here.”  John turned towards the nest, where a commotion seemed to be brewing.

Jack grabbed his arm and spun him back to him.  “I could have helped you.  Why not just ask for help?”

Hart shrugged.  “You would have just shoved me in the rift and been done with me.  I wanted the vortex manipulator.”

There was a bellow from the nest.  All three men turned to see Rory climbing out of it, blood streaming down his chin and his chest, and five dead bombs attached to his belt.  He strode directly up to Hart and threw a haymaker that sent the man sprawling.  Rory followed him and pulled him back up, delivering a hard uppercut to the chin that knocked Hart unconscious.

“This is not how I saw today going,” Rory muttered, kicking Hart for good measure as he stalked back down the tunnel.

Jack looked at Rex, who chuckled.  “Hey, man.  I’m straight, and even I think that was hot.”  He reached down and zip-tied Hart’s hands behind his back.  “Let’s get out of here before they decide to swarm again.”

***


	4. Healing Words and a Proper First Aid Kit

Jack took Rory to the infirmary, where he stripped and washed in the emergency shower before wrapping a towel around his waist and moving to the sink.  Jack gave him a toothbrush and mouthwash and even offered chewing gum.  “What made you think to bite it?”

“It’s what you’re supposed to do with unruly puppies, to show them who the alpha is,” Rory said, spitting again.  He had used almost half a bottle of mouthwash.

“Are you supposed to draw blood?”

“They’re surprisingly thin-skinned.”

He sat back and allowed Jack to clean the wound that the baby Weevil had inflicted.  “This is pretty nasty,” Jack remarked.  He lowered his voice.  “You know, your blood is kind of orange.”

Rory looked down.  “Hunh.  Never knew that.”  He frowned.  Surely he had seen the Doctor bleed.  He gritted his teeth as Jack thoroughly scrubbed the wound.

“I remember the Doctor saying this is safe for cuts.  I always keep it around, in case.  I don’t know what might be good for the pain, though.”

“Got any ginger beer?”

“Seriously?” Jack laughed, remembering his Doctor getting tipsy on the stuff.

“I have clothes in my bag.”

Jack retrieved the bag, and Rory rummaged around for clean clothes.  He pulled on a soft pair of jeans and set a t-shirt aside, along with a jacket.

Jack cleaned the wound one more time before bandaging it.  As Rory turned around to put on his shirt, Jack caught him by the arms.  “Rory, did a Weevil bite you on your shoulder, as well?”

Rory glanced back.  “Damn it!  Did he _mark_ me?”

Jack chuckled.  “That had to be ‘the Hair’.”  He frowned as he traced the mark.  “That looks pretty nasty.  Did he hurt you, Rory?”

Rory scoffed.  “No, I remember a love bite, but only just.”  He looked again.  “I think it’s because I’ve lost so much weight.  I’m bruising more easily.”

“You’ve gotten far too skinny,” Jack nodded, tracing a finger along Rory's shoulderblade.

“I’m going to start taking these jibes personally,” Rory huffed, pulling on the t-shirt.

“Are you all right?” Jack turned Rory to face him and looked at him.  “You’re really raw about an awful lot of things, and your physical recovery seems to be going slowly.  And you’re having sex with an awful lot of Doctors.”

Rory looked steadily at Jack.  “I’m doing the best I can, Jack.”

Jack pulled Rory into his arms.  “I know.  I’m not criticizing.  Rex was right. You’ve had a shit year.  I’m just worried about you.”

“Is it strange?  To be worried now about someone you didn’t even remember existed when you woke up this morning?”

Jack chuckled.  “I’m glad you made me remember you.  You’re probably my oldest friend.”  He stepped back.  “Why did you make me remember you?  Why did you come looking for me?”

“I was worried you wouldn’t believe what I told you on the TARDIS, that day.  That someone who knows everything that’s happened can and does love you.”

“I don’t think you can know everything I’ve done,” Jack turned away.

“I know that you lost your partner, Ianto.”

“Ianto,” Jack hung his head.  “He was…” he sighed.

“And I know you had to sacrifice your grandson Stephen to save all of the children on the planet.”  Rory put his arms around Jack.  “You were faced with the worst possible decision, and as horrible as it was, I hope you know you made the right call.” 

Jack tried to pull free, but Rory held on to him.  “Think what would have happened, Jack.  Stephen would have died, either way.  That doesn’t make it easier, I know.  But at least his death meant something.  He died saving every child on the planet.  That _means_ something.”

Jack sniffled.  “What is it with you Romans and your meaningful deaths?”

“Meaning is important,” Rory replied simply, kissing Jack’s ear and releasing him.

“Is that why you climbed into a Weevil nest today?” Jack asked.

Rory shrugged.  “What else could we have done?”

Jack frowned.  He took Rory to his office, where he gave him a shot of hypervodka, for the pain.  Then they returned to the conference room, where there was more tea, along with sandwiches and biscuits.  Someone brought in a few bottles of ginger beer, at Jack’s request.

Rory was surprised to see it was nine o’clock.  He ate slowly, not having much appetite but keenly aware that Jack was watching.  Soon a discussion arose about what to do with John Hart. 

“I hate to say it, but I don’t think there’s a prison here that can hold him,” Rex said.

“Is your vortex manipulator working?” Rory asked Jack.

Jack grinned.  “At the moment.  The Doctor and I have a running game.  Every time I fix it, he disables it again.”

“High-handed git,” Rory muttered.  “What about Stormcage, then?”

“Well, we have more than enough proof.  And it’ll definitely hold him.  They always brag that no one has ever escaped.”  Jack winked at Rory.  “Though I think we know otherwise.”

Rory stood, slightly unsteady on his feet.  “Can I come along?  Wouldn’t mind a visit.”

“Sure.  Gwen, I need all the evidence you can dig up on all of our dealings with John.”

“I have a file.  Give me five minutes.”

Rex stood.  “Well, if you don’t need me, I’m going to head home.”  He reached out to shake Rory’s hand.  “You were good today, Centurion.  Sorry I underestimated you.”

“Thanks,” Rory shook his hand and bade him goodnight.

Within a quarter hour they were at Stormcage.  Rory sought out River’s cell as Jack submitted John for processing.  Hart was surprisingly quiet, undoubtedly relieved to be out of the reach of the Blowfish to whom he owed a truly astonishing amount of money.

As Rory approached River’s cell, he began having second thoughts.  He hadn’t seen her since they had left her, newly regenerated, to find her own way.  Since then, he had taken her… what was the Doctor to her, anyway?  …as his lover, and… well, who knew who was there first, with Jack.  He leaned against the wall next to the edge of her cell and took a drink from the bottle of ginger beer he’d brought along.

“Who’s there?” River asked.  Rory didn’t answer.  “I know you’re there,” she sang out.

“Professor Song?” Rory asked, unsure when they were, in her timeline.  “It’s Rory Williams.”

“Dad?” she sounded confused.  He saw the door to her cell open, and she burst out.  She caught sight of him and slowed her advance.  “Where are Mother and the Doctor?”

And there it was.  The gut punch.  “You’re right, it’s only me.  I’ll go.  I’ll send them to visit, instead.”  He pushed away from the wall and turned away.

“That’s not what I meant!” she exclaimed.  “I meant, how are you here, and you don’t look very well, and where are they, that they aren’t looking after you?”

“I’m here with Jack.  I’ve had a difficult day.  And they’re… somewhere around.”  He waved a hand vaguely.

“Come sit, before you fall down,” she took him by the arm and led him back to the cell.  “You look dreadful.  Are you drunk?”

“Hypervodka, for the pain,” he gave a snort.  “It’s rubbish as a painkiller, by the way.”

“Jack Harkness?”  She looked around.  “Why are you in pain?  And why are you drinking ginger beer?”

“Because the hypervodka didn’t work,” he said, sitting at her desk.  “I suppose I should ask where we are,” he looked at her, and then away.

“Far enough along that I know about the procedure you had done in the parallel universe, so ginger beer’s not the best idea in the world.  How long has it been, for you?”

“Six weeks, five days, two hours and seven minutes.  Give or take.”  He grinned as her eyes widened.  “Behold, your father, the aberration.” 

“Stop that nonsense, right now.  Are you taking proper care of yourself?  You don’t seem to be recovering, very quickly.”

“Hey, I did die, and then had a humanity-ectomy.  Takes a lot out of a fellow.”

“Well it seems a bit soon to be gallivanting around the universe with Jack Harkness,” she softened the criticism with a smile.  “Careful, with that one.  He’ll get in your pants, if he can.”

“Well aware,” Rory snickered, but then sobered.  “Likewise.”

“Oh, Jack and I are old friends, but our stars never collided.”

“Bastard was winding me up, then,” Rory frowned.  Then he smiled.  “Oh, that’s good news, though.”

River chuckled.  “Tell me what’s happened, that you’re self-medicating.”

 _Where to begin?_   He snorted.  “Maybe Beevil wit me.” 

“Okay, that’s enough of that.”  She took the bottle from him.  “Try again.”

“Baby Weevil bit me.”

Her eyes widened again.  “Show me.”

“Melody, it’s fine.”  He looked at her.  “I’m sorry, you don’t like for me to call you that, do you?”  He swallowed, fighting the emotion that was rising.

River began patting him down, looking for his injury.  He seemed not to react.  “You and Mother may call me Melody.  But I have lived as River for a very long time, and I do prefer that everyone else call me that.”

He nodded.  “I understand.”  He gently lifted her hand from where it rested on his chest.  “Ow.”

“That is a singular pain response,” she muttered.  “High pain tolerance?”

“Roman,” Rory nodded.  “I once carried my own arm off a battlefield.  Stapled it back on and went back to fighting.”  He chuckled.  “Good times.”

“You were always a rubbish teller of tall tales,” she smiled, helping him out of his jacket, and then his t-shirt.  “Dad, why have you not been eating?”  She looked extremely alarmed at the protrusion of bones.  The only thing that was right about his appearance was the TARDIS key hanging from the cord around his neck.

Rory looked at her but didn’t say anything.  She decided not to push and focused instead on removing the bandage.  The wound was livid and swollen and clearly very painful.  It had been cleaned, but not by anything strong enough to kill all of the bacteria normally harbored in the mouth of a Weevil.  She shuddered.  “What did you use to clean this?”

“Jack said it was something the Doctor said would be safe for him, so he figured it’d be safe, for me.”

“So my father, the nurse, has an entirely new physiology, and he has yet to put together a first aid kit?  More importantly, the Doctor has left you with Jack, without a proper first aid kit?”

Rory shrugged a shoulder.  “He doesn’t know I went looking for Jack.”

“That makes no sense.”

“Spoilers.”  He smirked. 

“You enjoyed that far too much,” she said, her eyes narrowed.  She reached under her bed and pulled out her first aid kit.  “Everything in here is safe for a Gallifreyan – or Gallifreyan-adjacent – physiology.  You will take this with you, when you go, and I’ll restock.”

First she pulled out a sixty-third century antiseptic that burned like hell but cleaned out the wound, properly.

“This looks more like a jagged cut than a bite.”

“Well, in fairness the little guy didn’t seem to have much experience, with the chomping.  And orthodontia might not be a bad idea.  His parents should really start saving for that, now.”

“Right,” River said, eyeing Rory closely.

“Ask him how he got away from a Weevil nest, unscathed, other than that little nibble,” Jack said from the door of the cell.

“Hello, Jack.  What brings you two here, anyway?”

“Dropping off John Hart.”

“Ooh, he’s a nasty one.  Good.  I’ll be sure he doesn’t get any opportunities to sneak away.”

“Thanks, Doll.”  Jack reached down and kissed her cheek.

River turned back to Rory.  His face was set in a very particular way.  She remembered the time when he was nine and fell from a tree and didn’t cry until he was told his arm was broken, and only then because he thought he’d be in trouble. 

This was how her father’s face wore pain.  

She reached into the kit.  “This cream is a future equivalent of an antibiotic, and it has anesthetic properties.  It will relieve some of the pain.”  The wound already looked better, since she’d cleaned it.  She applied some cream and then reapplied the bandage.  She reached up and looked at his eyes. 

Something slipped, and she saw staring back at her someone very old, and so full of sorrow it made her heart ache.  He blinked and it was gone.  She patted his cheek and turned to Jack.  “The hypervodka and ginger beer were a bad idea.  Can’t give him anything for the pain until they’ve worn off, a bit.  Wait two hours, and then give him twenty milliliters of this,” she held up a bottle with a blue label.

“Will do.”

As she helped Rory back into his clothes, she asked, “Why did you step into a Weevil nest, in the first place?”

“Hart rigged it with bombs to make them swarm after Jack.”

“Not sure Torchwood would have survived the attack if Rory hadn’t been there,” Jack said.  “He fought off the Weevils after I was taken down, helped my people regroup after the attack, and got information out of the last Weevil before it died.”

“You’re telepathic, now?” River turned to Rory.

Rory nodded.  The pain from the bite was beginning to abate, but he was also hitting the depressed stage of being drunk.  “That started a little before the procedure, but it feels like it’s expanding.”

“So you found out about the bombs and went to the nest?”

“They’re sort of… time sensitive.  Or maybe timeline sensitive?  They respect resurrection.”

“They should love Jack, then.”

“Too much resurrection frightens them.  They were borderline, with me, but they were able to control themselves when they saw what I was doing.  But I freaked out the little ones."

“Which brings us back to how you were able to climb back out of a Weevil nest, after freaking out their little ones.  Particularly once one had bitten you and there was blood in the air.”

“I bit it back.”

“You did what?” River was on her feet.

Jack chuckled.  “Hey, it works with puppies.”

“And, you must note, it works with Weevils,” Rory retorted.  He made a face.  “Still can’t get the taste out of my mouth, though.”

“Oh, for the love of…” River strode over to a bureau and rummaged in one of the drawers.  She came back with a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste.  “Go brush, and pray that no parasites or pathogens have landed in your system, yet.”  As Rory rose, she looked at Jack.  “Scan him, please.”

Jack did as asked, and they were relieved to find that there was nothing lurking in Rory’s system.

“Why does he look so terrible?” she asked Jack.  “He looks well and truly wrecked.  Are you sure Amy and the Doctor are all right?”

“They’re fine, River,” Jack said, trying to keep the edge out of his tone.  “I’m not sure I should say more than that.  But he’s had a tough time.  Regeneration sickness, for starters.”

River nodded, still looking sad and concerned.

Rory returned from brushing his teeth.  “That’s much better, thanks.”

“I have the overwhelming urge to sit you down and feed you,” River said.

Neither she nor Jack missed Rory’s slight recoil at the mere mention of food.  He covered with a cheesy grin.  “Who’s the parent here, anyway?”

River hugged him.  “Please take care of yourself, Roar.”

“Mels.”  Jack watched Rory’s face crumble. 

River caught him as his knees buckled.  She and Jack sat him down and he buried his face in his hands, trying to calm himself.  “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“It’s confusing, I know,” River said, trying to comfort him.

Rory shook his head.  “River, I’ve known three different regenerations of the Doctor.  I get it.  No.”  He dropped his hands and looked at her.  “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”

Jack decided that River’s bureau across the cell was infinitely fascinating.

River took his hands.  “It’s time for us to find some common ground.  You say you get it, so… Melody, Mels, or River.  Doesn’t matter, because I’m me.  So what do you want to call me?”

“Melody,” he said, without hesitation.

“And what do you want me to call you?  I’ve tried Rory, I’ve tried Dad, I’ve tried Father.  None of them seem to sit right, with you.”

Rory shook his head.  “I have no right to Dad or Father,” he said, looking… did he look ashamed?

And then she realized.  “Demon’s Run hasn’t been that long for you, has it?”

He shook his head.

“You did not fail me, you know.  Yes, you were set up to fail at rescuing me.  But did you know that I thought I was in that little body that you held?”

Rory looked at her, startled.

“It was a Flesh avatar.  It had to have a signal from someone, right?  And I remember you took me from that woman, and you carried me back to my mother.  ‘Big Milk Thing’,” she chuckled.

“You remember that?”

“Human-plus, remember?” she smiled.  “I remember how you looked at me, all of the love I felt from and for you both.”  Her smile faded.  “And I remember being wakened from that dream.”  She took Rory’s hands.  “And as soon as I could, I escaped.  And I came to you two, to be close to you.  To share that love.  And you did,” she and Rory were both crying, now.

“I remember the first day I met you, as Mels,” he smiled.  “Force of nature.  Then, now and always.”

“You two made me feel safe.”

“How could that possibly be?” Rory protested.  “I was the weakest, whimpiest…”

“Kindest, most loyal friend, always there.  Brave.  I remember how many times you took a beating for Amy and me.  I counted every blow.  You stood up to every bully, and it wasn’t your fault you weren’t big enough to do it successfully.  What mattered was you did it.  Heart of a lion, my dad,” she smiled.  “Why do you think I always called you ‘Roar’?

“And then later, you loved me, no matter how out of control I got.  I was so restless, and couldn’t tell anyone why.  So I did crazy and stupid things whenever I felt like I was crawling out of my skin.  But you always loved me.  And I knew you’d always be there for me, because that’s what you’d promised.  And you have never, ever broken that promise.”

She pulled him into a hug and they cried for a few minutes.  When they parted, she handed him a tissue and dried her own eyes.  “I’ve changed my mind.  You don’t get to decide what I call you.  I’m calling you Dad.”  She reached out and touched his cheek.  “You more than deserve it.”

She kissed his cheek and left him to pull himself together and joined Jack across the cell.  “That was good,” Jack smiled.

“It was true,” she replied, checking her reflection in the mirror over the bureau and wiping the last vestiges of tears away.

“I know.  But he really needed to hear it.  It’s still new, for him, and he’s still raw about it.”

She nodded.  “How do you know him?”

“Oh, in an alternate timeline, I met a handsome Roman guarding a mysterious box.  I tried to get into it, and he killed me.  You know, how most great friendships begin.”

River chuckled.  “He’s going to say the anesthetic cream helped, but give him the painkiller, anyway.  If he had a battle today, he may need help sleeping.  Amy says killing gives him more nightmares than dying.”

“I’ll take care of him, River.”  Jack was looking at Rory with an unguarded expression of fondness that left River wondering.

After practically pouring a large jar of water down Rory’s throat, River hugged him and sent him and Jack on their way, first aid kit in hand.  After they left, she spent a long time replaying the interaction in her mind. 

Growing up, Rory had always had eyes only for Amy.  There may have been other attractions, but she had never seen any serious inclinations.  If he had ever looked twice at a boy, she had never seen it.  She could only assume that perhaps being Roman had expanded his horizons. 

She had confronted her parents and the Doctor long ago about their relationship.  Not the relationship itself, but rather the fact that they tried to keep it a secret.  But the sparks between the Doctor and his companions were undeniable, and she had sussed it the first time she had seen the three of them after it had begun.

She had no issue with it.  Had she grown up with her parents in a more traditional way, it would likely bother her.  But as it was, she was not jealous.  She and the Doctor had always been two ships, and all that.  Their love was real, but not restricted or exclusive, though she doubted he had any other dalliances besides his Ponds and (most likely) Jack.

The other interesting thing was that Rory had been utterly at ease with Jack.  And while Jack was clearly going through one of his more somber phases, he was still an incorrigible flirt.  Rory had taken it in stride, even flirted back, a little.  There had been a time when he would have been terribly uncomfortable with such attention. 

And despite the obvious physical and emotional upheaval he had been experiencing, he seemed comfortable in his own skin.  That had never been Rory’s forte.  She was pleased at this development.  She was pleased, in general.  That conversation had been a long time coming, for her.  She was hopeful it had also put his heart at ease, at least a bit. 

***


	5. An Old Friendship, Rekindled

Rory decided he did not like traveling by vortex manipulator.  When they arrived back at the Torchwood facility, he fell to his hands and knees and fought to keep his dinner down.  He felt Jack kneeling beside him, rubbing his back, telling him to breathe.  Jack helped him to stand, and they gathered their things and left.  It was still early.  They had arrived back only a quarter hour after they’d left.

Once in the cool night air, Rory began feeling a bit better.  He took out his phone and saw he had missed a call from his dad, so he called him back, to check in.  After hanging up, he and Jack walked in silence until they reached a block of apartments close to the facility.  “I decided to get a flat,” Jack said, pulling the key out of his pocket and opening the door.  “Pretend to be more normal.”

“Nice place,” Rory said, looking around.  He felt Jack behind him, slipping his messenger bag off of his shoulder and then helping to take his jacket off.

“So.  What to do for an hour before your painkiller,” Jack smiled, leaning close behind him and whispering in his ear.  “I’m finding that some of those memories I buried are not ones I’d want to do without, again.”  His breath was warm on Rory’s ear.

Rory grinned even as a shiver raced up his spine.  “Didn’t you recently chastise me for too much escapist sex?”

“I think you’ve had more than your share of pain, lately, and I think we could both do with the comfort of a friend.”  Jack sighed.  “Look, I know that when Amy and the Doctor return, you’ll go back to them.  But why shouldn’t we enjoy one another, until then?”

“And when they don’t?” Rory said, turning in Jack’s arms.  “I don’t want to use you, Jack.  And I’m afraid that’s what I’ve been doing.  Ears.  You, before.  The Hair.  A lot.  So much.  Never would have expected that kind of stamina, actually, given my current state,” he muttered.

Jack chuckled.  “New physiology has lots of staying power, eh?  Just think when you do return to full strength.”  He pulled Rory into his arms and kissed his cheek, then a chaste peck on the lips.  “If they don’t return, come work for Torchwood.  Stay with me.  You’re not using me.” 

Rory closed his eyes and shook his head.

Jack reached down and pressed his hand between Rory’s hearts.  “You came looking for me because of something I went through two years ago.  I know where I stand, and you’re not going to hurt me, Rory.  I want you.  I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give, and I’ll return it, in spades.”

Rory ducked his head and smiled, that shy smile that always made Jack hard.  “You’re too good to me, Jack.  Always have been.”

“Nothing’s too good for you,” Jack muttered, taking Rory’s face in his hands and kissing him, slowly, thoroughly. 

When they came up for air, Rory had his back to one of the floor to ceiling windows that comprised the fourth wall of Jack’s living room.  His hands were on Jack’s upper arms, and it felt like Jack’s thigh, thrust between his legs, was the only thing holding him upright.  “This isn’t pity sex, is it?” he frowned.  That would be too pathetic for words.

“Only in that it’d be a pity if we didn’t have sex,” Jack growled, kissing Rory again.  He felt Rory laughing softly into the kiss, and didn’t that just feel incredible?  Like he was breathing in new life, somehow.  He felt his hunger growing, but reminded himself to be gentle.  Rory was injured, and weak, besides. 

As Jack’s hands roved, he found that he could count each rib through Rory’s shirt.  That the knowledge of Rory’s suffering physically pained Jack told him that he was finally shedding the last of the numbness that he had wrapped around himself, after the 456 and Ianto and Stephen.

Rory pulled him closer and he groaned as he felt just the right amount of friction.  They shed their clothing as they made their way to the bedroom.  By the time they fell into the bed, Jack had taken the full measure of Rory’s fatigue.  Deciding they could take their time after some rest, he made his way down Rory’s body, took him in hand (and mouth) and skillfully brought him off, savoring every pant, moan, and cry of pleasure. 

He had not rushed through it, and had thoroughly enjoyed himself, but he knew he’d made the right decision when he saw Rory’s ragged breaths and struggle to regroup, after.  It had, after all, been a rather eventful day for his Centurion.  He kissed his way back up Rory’s body, and was planning to just make out with him until he could give him the painkiller.

Rory had other plans.  Turning on his side, he continued to kiss Jack lazily.  He took Jack’s cock in hand and with agonizingly slow pulls, he teased every moan and gasp he could from Jack until he had him groaning loudly as he spilled over Rory’s hand.  Rory raised his hand and gave it a lick, causing Jack to kiss him soundly, once again.

Once they were cleaned up, Jack brought in the first aid kit and administered the painkiller as River had instructed.  Rory was asleep before Jack could stow the vial of medication and hypospray back in the kit.  He kissed Rory, tucked him up beside him, and turned out the light.

***

The weekend passed quickly, with Jack and Rory dividing their time between Torchwood and Jack’s bed.  They had dinner at a lovely restaurant in the city center on Saturday night, but the conversation became so heavy with innuendo and lust that they left before pudding or coffee could be served.

Jack saw Rory off at the train station on Monday.  They missed the early train, and the only reason Rory didn’t just stay for another day was because he knew he couldn’t worry his father.  A long, lingering kiss from Jack had him reconsidering even as the train was pulling out of the station.

The week passed quietly, with Rory debating Jack’s offer.  On the one hand, it made perfect sense.  Jack had promised he could put his medical skills to use, not just his fighting skills.  There was even the discussion of further training.  But on the other, Rory enjoyed nursing in quiet Leadworth, where he knew his patients and could use that knowledge to help them.

He had spent most of his days on long walks, and most of his evenings discussing the possibilities with his father.  Brian was pleased to see his son engaging more.  And while he was concerned with the dangers of working with an organization like Torchwood, he also understood that his son had accumulated a rare fount of knowledge.  He did not think going back to nursing in the sleepy Royal Leadworth Hospital would suit his son any longer, appealing though a quiet pace might be, in the hypothetical.

On Friday afternoon, Jack showed up.  Rory was out on one of his long walks.  As Brian prepared tea, he and Jack were able to get to know one another.  When Rory finally showed up, he kissed Jack hello, surprising both his father and Jack.

“Sorry, Dad,” Rory apologized, realizing he may have made his father uncomfortable.  “Jack and I were friends for sixty-odd years.  And with the whole vaccine thing, it all feels so much more recent.”

To his credit, Brian took it in stride.  “I can see where, on that scale, things are probably a lot more fluid for you, Son,” he said slowly, clearly trying to empathize with how his son’s life was unfolding.  He glanced at Jack.  “But… it’s a bit soon, don’t you think?  I mean, it’s not fair on Jack, if you’ve looked him up as a rebound sort of thing.”

Jack would remember and love Brian for the rest of his days, for that speech alone.

“Well, I didn’t look him up for a rebound shag.  And the reason I’ve been agonizing over his job offer is because I don’t want to use him, in that way.”

Brian smiled at his son, feeling proud.  But he was also baffled.  He had been happy with Rory’s mother, and while there had been the occasional dalliance to relieve the lonely nights after she died, he had not really looked for another. 

And the only girl Rory had ever really looked at had been Amy.  She had been his world.  And now… Rory’s world encompassed Amy, the Doctor, and now Jack.  But this was his Rory.  If anyone had the capacity to love three souls, it was his son.  All Rory had ever wanted was to love.  Of course he craved love in return, but that had always been secondary.  Rory needed people to love.

“Does that mean you haven’t decided?” Jack asked, smiling.  “No pressure.  You wouldn’t get medical clearance to work yet, anyway.”  He winked at Brian and whispered, “Too skinny.”

“The lad won’t eat,” Brian fussed.  “I can’t see where he’s eating more than the one meal a day I’m forcing on him.”

Jack’s head snapped to Rory, who colored just enough to confirm Brian’s suspicion.

“Rex wasn’t far off when he called you anorexic,” Jack said, leaning back and frowning. 

“I am not anorexic,” Rory groaned.  “I just… can’t eat.  I am… what’s the opposite of hungry?”

“Full?” Jack asked incredulously.

“Repulsed,” Rory replied quietly.

Jack punched a few buttons on his vortex manipulator and scanned Rory.  He looked at the readout and sighed.  “It’s nothing physical.”

“Great.  Thanks,” Rory snarked.

“Which means,” Jack went on, ignoring the snark, “that you just need to exert some discipline.  Just get on a schedule, and put some calories in your body.”

“What about that stuff you give your patients?  The calorie and vitamin drinks?”

Rory nodded.  “I’ll try.”

“You’ll have to,” Jack said.  “You can’t afford to lose any more weight, Rory.”  He felt an uneasy feeling slither through his belly.  “Unless you want your health to tank.”

Rory shook his head.  “Of course not,” he sighed.

“Good,” Jack gave one of his megawatt smiles.

***


	6. Breathtakingly Angry

The next afternoon, Jack and Rory were making out on the sofa like a couple of teenagers.  It had started out innocently enough.  Jack had offered to change Rory’s bandage.  Rory had obligingly removed his shirt and, after removing the bandage, Jack had pronounced him healed enough to not need another. 

“It’s healing well, but you’re going to have a nasty scar,” he said, kissing the skin along the side of the wound.  “But then again, scars can be incredibly sexy.”

Rory chuckled, and then things progressed, from there.  They knew not to get carried away, because Brian would be arriving for tea, any minute.  But they were rather enjoying themselves when a familiar, wheezing noise sounded from the backyard.

Rory swore his hearts stopped beating, for a moment.  Then he saw Jack draw back, hovering above him with a sea of sadness in his eyes before he could mask it.  “I told you they’d be back,” he grinned.

Rory frowned.  He did not feel joy.  He felt… anger.  But it was Jack’s pain that ignited a deep rage within him.  As Jack clambered off of him, he rose and strode towards the back door.

“Here, put this on,” Jack tossed the first thing he could find at him, which was Jack’s own greatcoat.  Rory put it on and stepped into the backyard just as the TARDIS fully materialized.  The Doctor and Amy spilled out, and Amy looked as though she would run to him, but he stepped back and put a hand up.

“Don’t even think about touching me,” he spat.

The Doctor caught Amy’s arm and hauled her back.  She looked startled by Rory’s anger, and more than a little surprised that he wasn’t actually glad to see her.  This only fed his anger.

“Nice coat,” the Doctor said conversationally.

Miffed, Amy looked him up and down.  “You look like a child who’s been playing in his grandfather’s closet.”

The Doctor shot her a warning look that quelled her hostility, for the moment.  “I think I know that coat,” he said quietly.

“You do,” Rory said, walking towards the Doctor and lowering his voice.  “And he is not here so you can hurt him again, so if you even so much as _flinch_ when you see him, you will know what it is for me to be truly angry.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened at the threat.  Then he smiled.  “You are fierce in protecting the ones you love.  I love that.”

“You think this is a joke?” Rory lowered his voice further.  “You always brag about your superior Time Lord… whatsit.  Now’s the time to prove that you are more than your instincts.”

The Doctor nodded.  “You’re right.  I’ll behave.  I swear it.”

Rory scoffed.

The Doctor flinched.  “I wonder.  Is this a test?”

“No.  But it’ll be a hell of a data point, I assure you.”  Rory’s voice was hard.  Unyielding.  He reached out and touched the TARDIS, receiving a warm hum of greeting.

“Rory,” Amy said, but found herself unable to finish the sentence.

“Amy,” Rory returned the attempted greeting coldly.

Jack stepped into the back yard.  “Hate to interrupt the reunion,” he began, and the Doctor had never seen him so tentative.  He stopped ten feet away from them.  “Rory, I brought you a jacket, but you need to go in and put some shoes on.  I’ll just take my coat and go.  You all have things to discuss.”

“You’re not going anywhere, Harkness,” Rory growled.  He took Jack’s coat off and tossed it to him.  “But here.  It’s cold out here, and you can’t very well wear my jacket.”

Jack caught his coat and tossed Rory’s to him.  He caught the shocked expression on the Doctor’s face at the sight of Rory’s emaciated, shirtless frame.  Amy put a hand over her mouth and began to cry. 

Good.  They needed to see what they had done.

For some reason, his coat made him feel safer.  He now felt like he could face the Doctor, feeling Rory’s warmth surround him.  “Hello, Doc,” he smiled.

The Doctor closed the distance between them, walking up to Jack and wrapping his arms around him.  After some hesitation, Jack returned the hug.  The Doctor pulled back and kissed Jack, rather more enthusiastically than either of them was anticipating.  When they parted, the Doctor fell to his knees and took his hand.  “Forgive me, Jack.  For saying you were wrong, for abandoning you at the game station, for staying away when you needed me most.”

“I know it was a fixed point,” Jack said, breathing hard, fighting the tears.

“But I could have been here for you,” the Doctor replied, hanging his head.  “I’ve been a terrible friend to you, Jack, and I’m sorry.”

Jack reached down and took hold of the Doctor’s chin, raising his face to him.  He leaned down and kissed the Doctor.

Absolution.

“I forgive you, Doctor.”

The Doctor’s eyes were wide with gratitude and wonder.  “You do?” 

Jack smiled, and it wasn’t the megawatt, shock-and-awe, distract them so you can nick their spaceship smile.  It was sweet and vulnerable and loving.  “I do.  But I think you have more important apologies to be making, right now.”

The Doctor returned his smile for a few moments, and then the rest of Jack’s words sank in.  “Yes, you are right, of course.”  He stood and kissed Jack again before turning back to Rory.

Rory had watched the exchange, gratified to see the Doctor do right by Jack.  But he kept his expression harsh and stony.  There was much to discuss, and something in the air was still feeding his anger.

When the Doctor turned back to him, Rory stood back so he was facing both the Doctor and Amy again.  “So how long has it been, for you?”

Amy, sensing danger, panicked.  Again.  “It’s been a while.  Ages!”

“Really?”  Rory advanced on her, far more aggressively than she had ever seen.  Rory had never frightened her before, but his anger was unnerving.  She backed up until she was stopped by the TARDIS at her back.  “This is not going to go well if you cannot do me the courtesy of being honest with me,” Rory stepped into her space and leaned in, giving a long, harsh sniff at her neck.

“Did… did you just _smell_ me?” she found her voice.

“Amy,” the Doctor warned.

“Two days?” Rory stumbled back a few steps.  His vision went red and black with little sparks flying.

“Ah, Christ,” Jack muttered.

“You’ve only been gone for two days?” Rory snarled.  “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Rory,” the Doctor tried his placating tone.

“Did you think I’d just come running back into your arms, after all this time?  Am I really that pathetic, that you think I would let you hurt me like that and then crawl back to you, for more?”

“You’re not pathetic, Rory,” the Doctor said.

“All this time?” Amy asked, looking at the Doctor.  Rory growled. 

He turned away, struggling to control the fury that had risen within him.  He felt dizzy.  _Shallow breaths_.  His body was absolutely humming, his hearts were beating so fast.  He was going to pass out if he didn’t get himself under control.  Jack stepped within reach but made no move to touch him.  He was there to catch Rory, if he fell, but he wouldn’t prop him up.

This was love, some sane, quiet voice in the back of his mind observed.

Suddenly, he felt anchored.  Safe.  He closed his eyes and focused.  After a few moments, he turned.  He dropped every mask.  Let them see him.

“Am I to presume that you want to reconcile?” he asked.

The Doctor and Amy stared at him a moment.  His anger twitched within him.

“I see.  You just came to pick me up, and we’d be on our way, as though none of this happened?”

The Doctor hung his head.  Amy looked terrified of his reaction, but nodded, her eyes wide.

“So from your perspective, you shoved me out of the TARDIS, flew off for a little adventure, and came back a day or two later, to pick me up.”  He pointed at the Doctor.  “ _You_ should know better.  You of all people!  Amy’s so used to taking me for granted that it’s like breathing, for her.  But you, you’ve _seen_ what this has done to me!  How dare you come swanning back in here, as though nothing has happened!”

Rory turned his back again, breathing hard.  Amy had gone pale.  The Doctor gripped her hand but released it quickly, lest Rory turn back and see, and then choose this moment to remember her last words to him, before they left.

When he finally had control of himself again, he said quietly.  “Allow me to enlighten you on how things stand, from _my_ perspective.  And then you will have a decision to make.”  He turned back around.  “You left me here, seven weeks, three days, six hours, and twenty-five minutes ago.  And I never expected to see you again.  I was ill and in an astonishing amount of physical pain, and I lost all hope…”

He reached in his jacket and pulled the stone key from around his neck.  He tossed it to the Doctor, but spoke to Amy.  “I met his ninth regeneration, who gave me that.  It cured the neuropathy.”  He hesitated, but then continued, his face determined.  “You need to know that I had sexual encounters with both the Doctor and a younger version of Jack, that day.”

“Rory,” the Doctor chided as Amy stared at him.

“No.  She needs to know, so you two can make an informed decision,” Rory said, his voice still hard as iron.  “His tenth regeneration visited me, as well.  He worked on my dehydration.  And we shagged for three days straight.”

“Three and a half,” the Doctor corrected.  Amy let out a sob.

Rory stepped up to her, old instincts firing, but he resisted.  His concession was to gentle his voice.  “I did not do any of this to hurt you, Amy.  I thought you both were gone.  For me, it was goodbye.”

“Then why is _he_ here?” Amy jutted her chin at Jack.  Rory stepped back.

“Because I’ve been sleeping with him.  I found Torchwood, found Jack.”  He looked at the Doctor.  “After what you told me, how could I not?  I wasn’t looking to start anything again, but Jack died again and there was a baby Weevil, and it just happened.”  He sighed.  “He took me to see River, so I could say goodbye.”

Jack looked sharply at Rory.  He closed his eyes as realization struck.  _Of course_.  It was before his offer to work at Torchwood.  Rory hadn’t expected to see Jack again, either.  And he doubted it would ever have occurred to River to visit Rory in Leadworth.

Amy just stared at Rory, trying to process everything he was telling her.

Rory went on.  “From my perspective, you both left me when I needed you the most, and based on what you said and how you left, I honestly never expected to see you again.  Given that, I’ve no idea that I’ve behaved badly, but I am sorry if I’ve hurt you.  But you needed to know everything.  And you need to decide if you still want to be together, now that I’ve told you.  If you do, you have to tell me, and then I will think about it.  But I have two conditions.”

“Which are?” the Doctor was looking at him with an almost possessive look of love and pride, but Rory wasn’t ready to recognize it, much less accept it.

“First and foremost, Jack is back in my life, now.”  Jack’s head snapped to Rory so fast, his neck made a cracking noise.  “I don’t know how that’s going to look, but you both need to accept it.”

“Second?” Amy’s voice cracked.

“You get your arses back in the TARDIS, and don’t come back for seven weeks and a day.  That should give you time to decide what you want, and what you can live with.”  He looked at the house and saw Brian peering out of the kitchen window.  “Tea is in twenty minutes.  I expect you to be back in time to join us.”

With that, he turned his back and strode away.  The Doctor watched after him, a bittersweet expression on his face.  Jack stepped up next to the Doctor, watching Rory slam the door behind him.  “He’ll figure it out, you know.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  The Doctor straightened his bowtie.

“You knew he’d need to give you hell before he could move on in any way, and you knew he’d need to be breathtakingly angry to give you hell.  So you came back after only two days and let him do that.”  Jack shook his head.  “Two days?  Really?  A week or two would have been better.  I’m going to have to check him for capillary damage, from that initial reaction.”  He huffed and rubbed his forehead.  “I thought he was going to have a stroke.  Or at least pass out.”

“He needs to learn to control it,” the Doctor said.  “But you’re right.  I hadn’t intended to make him quite that angry.”

They both turned to Amy, who was leaning against the TARDIS, looking calm, but still crying.  “I take it the Doctor prepped you for most of what you’d hear.”

She nodded.  “Yeah.  But not how much time has passed, for Rory.  That was…  He was so _hard_.”

“But he wasn’t cruel,” Jack offered.

She scoffed.  “This is Rory.  He’s incapable of cruelty.”  She sighed.  “But he made no attempt to soften any blow.”

“You stripped him bare, the two of you.  You peeled the meat from his bones.  I’ll bet any sum you’d like that he’ll apologize for being harsh, once he’s found his feet, if not before.  But I think that went about as well as you can expect, considering you still haven’t even apologized to him.”

“In fairness, he didn’t give us the chance,” the Doctor said, but he looked stricken.

“He’s skin and bones,” she said, staring at the door that Rory had slammed.

“He’s lost about thirty pounds, and that’s twenty-nine more than his frame could afford to do without,” Jack said.  “He says he can’t eat.”  He hesitated, but continued.  “I scanned him, but it doesn’t seem to be a physical problem.”

“And what was the injury, along his left pectoral muscle?” the Doctor asked.

“That’s where the baby Weevil comes in.”

The Doctor grimaced.  “We’ll get that story when we come back.”

“I’m Jack Harkness, by the way,” Jack offered Amy his hand.

“Amy Pond,” she said, then her eyes widened.  “Williams,” she muttered.  “Christ, he’s right, isn’t he?”

Jack ignored the last.  “Well, it’s nice to meet you.  You were a big box, the last time I saw you.”  He looked towards the house.  “You know, he talked to you all the time, when he thought no one was listening.  And he talked to you in Latin, if he thought anyone might be listening.”  He chuckled, then added quietly.  “I don’t know how he did it, and survived even remotely sane.  He’s extraordinary.”

“He really thought we weren’t going to return?” Amy asked.

Jack nodded.  “He was convinced.  It was almost like he wouldn’t allow himself to hope otherwise, but I get that.  Hope’s a tricky thing, when you feel like you’ve lost everything.  He was considering moving to Cardiff, to work for Torchwood.  Once he got his health under control.”

“Any other issues, besides not eating?” the Doctor asked.

“Not that I’ve seen, but I’ve only spent a few days with him.”

“I’ll check him over, when we get back.”

“Doctor,” Jack put a hand on his arm.

“Yes, Jack?”

“It would be really, really bad, if you were late.”

The Doctor nodded, and he and Amy entered the TARDIS.  Jack stroked the side.  “Please bring them back on time, Beautiful.”

***


	7. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Rory entered the kitchen and sat down at the table, his head in his hands.  “Oh, God,” he muttered.

Brian continued preparing the meal.  After a few minutes, he said, “I’m cooking enough for five, in case they stay for tea,” he said, hoping his activity would calm Rory, who had begun to rock back and forth in his chair.

“I sent them away, Dad,” Rory choked.

That got Brian’s attention.  “Really?”  He came over and pulled out a chair and sat before Rory.  He felt pride and fear, in equal measure.

“They’ve only been gone for two days.  Two days!”

“Well that’s bloody cheek, that is,” Brian frowned.

“I told them to go away for seven weeks and one day, and be back in time for tea in twenty minutes.”

Brian smiled.  “Fair is fair,” he said.  He reached out and put a hand on the back of Rory’s head. 

Rory went very, very still as they listened to the TARDIS depart.  When the sounds faded away, Rory began rocking again.  “Oh, God,” he muttered. 

Jack came in and saw Rory, then strode to the sink, where he soaked a dishtowel in cold water.  Wringing it out, he placed it on the back of Rory’s neck.  He wrapped his arms around Rory and whispered, “You were magnificent!”  He smiled at Brian, who nodded and went back to his cooking.

Jack took Rory to the sitting room and chaffed his bare feet before putting socks and shoes on him.  Then he took off his jacket and put his shirt back on him, before putting his jacket back on.  Rory was moving mechanically, and concerned, Jack took a moment to scan him, and found that he was in a mild state of shock.

He asked Brian for some tea and put a blanket around Rory, then sat and held him.  Brian sat with them as Rory drank his tea.  “I sent them away,” he said again, placing the empty teacup on the table.

“Yes, you did,” Jack smiled.  “They’ll be back, though.”

Rory scoffed.  “Yeah, to tell me that the things I told them are deal-breakers.”

“Well, you can always take back your condition,” Jack said, smiling sadly.

“Not in your lifetime, Harkness,” Rory wrapped his arms around Jack’s middle, and Jack chuckled.

“I’m proud of you, Son,” Brian said.  “You were right to ask for equal footing.”

By the time tea was ready, Rory no longer looked as though he would fall over at any moment.  Jack kept staring at the clock on the mantle, praying that the Doctor would return on time.  As the clock struck seven, Brian announced tea was ready. 

Seconds later, they heard the TARDIS arriving.  Jack felt relief wash over him.  Rory sat up, dropped the blanket, and stood.  Moving to the mantle, he leaned against it.  Jack saw that Rory’s knuckles were white where he was gripping the mantle, trying to steel himself for whatever this next encounter might bring.

“I’ll let Brian know you’ll be there in a few minutes,” Jack said quietly.

“Thanks,” Rory nodded.

***

When Rory entered the kitchen, everyone was already seated.  Brian had put some thought into the table setting.  He and Jack were at either end of the table.  Amy and the Doctor were sitting with their backs to the sitting room, and a single seat facing them was awaiting Rory, closest to the back door.

Rory walked around the table and, just as he reached his chair, the Doctor stood, followed by Amy.  Rory stepped back quickly, taking the chair with him, as though he were merely pulling it out from the table.  He moved with the practiced grace of a soldier, but the action had more of a kicked-dog quality to it.

Brian flushed with anger.  The Doctor paled.  Amy’s eyes widened, and she looked at the Doctor.  Jack tried to cover by making some joke about Weevils.

“Rory, as our first good faith gesture, here,” the Doctor pulled up his sleeve, exposing his wrist.  “A pulse point works best, yes?  Seven weeks, one day.”  Amy pulled up her sleeve and extended her arm, as well.

Rory looked ill as he reached for the Doctor, leaning over the table slightly and taking his wrist.  He ran his nose along the pulse point, smelling time.  He released the Doctor and took Amy’s wrist.  His hand was trembling, now.  Her skin.  Her pulse.  _Her_. 

He let her go and sat down.  The Doctor and Amy followed suit.  Rory picked up his fork and speared some broccoli.  He raised the fork, then lowered it.  “Thank you for cooking, Dad.  It looks delicious.”  He put the fork down and raised his glass to his lips, taking a sip.

Jack and Brian exchanged a look.  The Doctor frowned.  So did Amy.  Rory raised and lowered the same forkful of food three times before finally putting it in his mouth.  He chewed slowly, and then swallowing seemed a battle all its own.

The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it at Rory.  Rory snatched it away and sat it down by his plate before the Doctor could scan him.  “Jack is already scanning me every time I turn around.  Can we please give it a rest?”

“Fair enough,” the Doctor said.

“So what’s the second?” Jack asked.  “Gesture of good faith?”

The Doctor looked pleased.  “There has been no sex on the TARDIS, since your departure, Rory.”

Brian swallowed his food, wiped his mouth.  “This broccoli tastes quite fresh.  They flash freeze it.  Quite tasty, though.  Don’t you think, Jack?”

“Delicious,” Jack replied, sympathizing with how awkward this must feel for Brian.

Rory let out a maniacal laugh before clapping his napkin over his mouth.  He was actually, finally, _really_ , losing his mind.  He felt Jack’s boot press against his foot.  A touchstone.  Something to ground him.  He picked up his fork, then put it down, then took a drink of water.

When the Doctor made his announcement, Amy had rested her elbow on the table, and her face in her hand.  To her credit, she quickly regrouped.  “What he means is, we wanted to prove to you that I didn’t mean what I said, that day.  I… I panicked.  The Doctor said you needed to leave us so you could get well, and I couldn’t think fast enough of a better way to make you leave.”

“And naturally the truth was out of the question,” Rory said quietly.

Amy looked at her plate.

They ate in silence, then.  Jack watched Rory destroy his food so it looked like there was less there, but he ate almost nothing.  “So did you do anything interesting, while you were gone?” Jack asked, hoping to move things forward.

“We stayed in the vortex, mostly,” the Doctor said.  “A third gesture.”

Rory looked from the Doctor to Amy.  “I’m sorry I made you do that,” he said quietly.  “I… I was angry.”

“You had every right,” the Doctor said.  “To be angry, and to send us away.”

Rory swallowed.  He chanced a look at his father, who was watching him, a concerned look on his face.  “Yes, and I still am.  But that was petty and pointless.  I wanted you to know, but not really.  I wouldn’t wish this feeling on anyone.  I don’t want to be petty.  I’d like to think I’m better than that.”

“You weren’t being petty, Rory.  And we were going to make it right, no matter what,” Amy said, her eyes bright.

Rory looked up at her, and then at the Doctor, who looked from Amy to Rory.  He felt, more than saw, Jack lean back in his chair.  “Because you told me to make you squirm,” Rory said.  “The last time I saw you, with the hair.”  He sighed.  “Have you ever just let a situation unfold, without trying to manipulate it?”  His tone was more weary than angry.

The Doctor opened his mouth, but then shut it again.  “You have been inside my mind, Rory.  You, better than anyone, should know why I try to control situations.”

Rory nodded.  “I understand that.  I do.  But you, of all people know what it is to abhor being manipulated.”  He shook his head.  “You used me.  To manipulate yourself.”

“It was the only way, Rory.  It had to happen how I remembered it happening.  Besides, I would not have given you the stone, otherwise.”

“You can’t know that.  You, who always tell people to be the best version of themselves.  You think you couldn’t have been that?”

“I know I couldn’t have.  I was too full of rage and hate and despair, then.”

“And you couldn’t trust me to try to just talk to you?”

“I couldn’t trust _him_ to do the right thing.”  The Doctor flinched.  “I couldn’t trust myself to do the right thing.  Not when it was so important.”

“So in trying to help me, you decided to destroy me.”

“Yes.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

“Well, frankly, I thought you’d be more grateful.”

Rory had heard the word ‘apoplectic’, before.  He even knew what it meant, from lower sixth form.  But he had never felt that level of rage boiling in his veins, before.  His face flushed as his hearts began humming again, and he launched himself across the table and had the Doctor by the collar before anyone could react.

As soon as they slammed onto the floor, Rory realized what he was doing and scrambled off of the Doctor, horrified.  His back slammed into the cabinet beneath the kitchen sink and in his panic, he actually stopped breathing.  He soon found out what it felt like for his respiratory bypass to kick in, but it completely freaked him out, and terrified, he shut it down, as well.

The Doctor was kneeling before him in the next instant, holding Rory’s face in both hands and nudging against his mind.  Rory’s panic redoubled at the feeling of invasion.  He envisioned steel doors slamming down all around him, protecting him, and he saw the Doctor grimace in pain. 

“Rory, you need to breathe,” he seemed to shout from very far away.  Then his lips were beside Rory’s ear.  “Breathe, Rory.  Remember, how I taught you.  Come on, breathe with me.”  He put his forehead against Rory’s.  _Breathe, Ren.  Breathe.  Please.  I promise I will make this right, if you let me.  I am sorry I hurt you.  Please breathe._

Rory’s vision began to fog.  Black spots began to explode before his eyes.  He needed to get away.  It took every ounce of his strength, but he shoved the Doctor away from him, scrambled to his feet, and broke the facing off of the back door as he crashed through it.  He heard his father shout, “Let him go,” as he sprinted into the night.

He only made it as far as the TARDIS.  He ran to the back, facing opposite the house, and fell to the ground, finally figuring out how to take short, painful gasps of breath.  He collapsed with his back against her, curled up and sobbing.  And then everything went black…

***


End file.
